Confronting Evil
Assessing the Worst of the Worst
Published on 9. October 2025
Book
Hardback
304 pages
978-1-250-37404-2 (ISBN)
Description
The concept of evil is universal, ancient, and ever present today. The biblical book of Genesis clearly defines it when Cain kills his brother Abel out of jealousy. Evil is a choice to make another suffer. As long as human beings have walked, evil has been close by.
Confronting Evil recounts the deeds of the worst people in history: Genghis Khan. The Roman Emperor Caligula. Henry VIII. The collective evil of the 19th century slave traders and the 20th century robber barons. Stalin. Hitler. Mao. The Ayatollah Khomeini. Putin. The Mexican drug cartels. Collectively, these warlords, tyrants, businessmen, and criminals are directly responsible for the death and misery of hundreds of millions of people.
By telling what they did and why they did it, Confronting Evil explains the struggle between good and evil--a choice every person in the Judeo-Christian tradition is compelled to make. But many defer. We avoid the life decision. We look away. It's easier.
Prepare yourself to read the consequences of that inaction. As John Stuart Mill said in his inaugural address to the University of St. Andrews in 1867: "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing."
Confronting Evil recounts the deeds of the worst people in history: Genghis Khan. The Roman Emperor Caligula. Henry VIII. The collective evil of the 19th century slave traders and the 20th century robber barons. Stalin. Hitler. Mao. The Ayatollah Khomeini. Putin. The Mexican drug cartels. Collectively, these warlords, tyrants, businessmen, and criminals are directly responsible for the death and misery of hundreds of millions of people.
By telling what they did and why they did it, Confronting Evil explains the struggle between good and evil--a choice every person in the Judeo-Christian tradition is compelled to make. But many defer. We avoid the life decision. We look away. It's easier.
Prepare yourself to read the consequences of that inaction. As John Stuart Mill said in his inaugural address to the University of St. Andrews in 1867: "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing."
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Illustrations
One 8-page 4-color photo insert
Dimensions
Height: 245 mm
Width: 170 mm
Thickness: 30 mm
Weight
496 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-250-37404-2 (9781250374042)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
09/2025
St. Martin's Press
€21.99
Available for download
Persons
BILL O'REILLY is a trailblazing television journalist and the author of nineteen #1 New York Times bestsellers, including Confronting the Presidents and the Killing series of narrative histories. He lives on Long Island, New York.
JOSH HAMMER studied political theory at The George Washington University and international politics at the University of Edinburgh. He writes and produces many successful programs including The O'Reilly Update with Bill O'Reilly. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.
JOSH HAMMER studied political theory at The George Washington University and international politics at the University of Edinburgh. He writes and produces many successful programs including The O'Reilly Update with Bill O'Reilly. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.